'Countries which were not responsible...': Goyal says Biden sent out 'big message' on environmental degradation

Union minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday said that he met Joe Biden at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) welcome reception and the US President acknowledge the fact that the countries which were not responsible for creating the environmental degradation in the first place were the countries which were impacted the most.Talking to ANI news agency later, Goyal said, "I met him last night and he did acknowledge the fact the countries which were not responsible for creating the environmental degradation in the first place are the countries which get impacted the most. I think that's a very big message, a very big endorsement of what PM Modi and India have been saying at various world forums.""It clearly shows that Prime Minister Modi's consistent stand on climate issues, the positivity with which he engages as well as the clear message that he gives out in all of his engagements has resonated with the world and India and the US have resolved to work closely together," Goyal added."We have launched a new fund today where the governments of both countries are going to actively contribute and we hope that this will act like a catalyst for large pools of capital to now look at and focus on investments in India.…" he added.US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden on Wednesday, hosted a welcome reception for world leaders attending the APEC Summit. Goyal was invited to attend the APEC Summit in San Francisco.The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation grouping has 21 members. However, India is not one of them. It had made a request to join the grouping in 1991. While a majority of members are in favour of India's inclusion, some have opposed it, citing the country's record on economic reforms and claiming that it has' protectionist instincts'. Another reason for India not being included in the grouping was a membership freeze, which was in force since 1997 but was not extended in 2012.With inputs from agencies